So she couldn't destroy them as easily as if they were just smoke and mirrors.

No poof! (the stars are bright tonight) nor a smash! (a thousand years of ill fortune for you, madam!) On Portal Breach, that was to be expected; everything, even illusions, were much more than they appeared to the naked eye. And really, couldn't the ram troll think of these things much less simplistically?

God, tonight, she was a mess. Of course, she was a less of a mess the night before but everything she was doing now that seemed like was for the better wasn't for the better! Her train of thought used to be so crystal clear like a royal blue lake with each little nitty gritty detail a ripple, but these are stupid wishful thoughts now, because for the longest time she had developed a blood-tainted mindset, one filled up with the intent of murder. But right now, right now, Aradia wished to be rid of it for once, or to at least evaluate it properly. She needed to get away from her archaeology site, the Kindle Forest. It reminded her too much of a man whom she never intended to kill but inadvertently did, with a whole entire mob. At least in the Forest, no one could see it, but her cheeks couldn't help but tinge up in shame as the memories flowed and ebbed. And not once did that grave reminder serve any purpose than to sabotage any attempt at discovery or adventure, much to the Aries troll's displeasure.

The Alternian girl sat down on a blanket as she watched the stars, knowing that they couldn't remind her of anything painful, knowing that they weren't anything her friends or her ancestors looked at on Alternia, and knowing that the sky represented something more than the top of the world over all. It was impersonal; there was nothing intimate or well-acquainted up there. On the coastline, there were people whom she did know; there were some sites she passed by every single day without realizing it, but right now she was far away from them as possible. Seriously, didn't this girl know stranger danger? Of course she did. What were the sighs and reprimands of Jak Mar worth for? Oh, sorry, she forgot but now she knows: nothing. Deep down she was filled with resentment on the account of several things, so much that she wanted to eliminate him permanently (there were many people whom she wanted to eliminate permanently), but was it really worth it to kill him?

Certainly, there were reasons, reasons for him to die, reasons for him to accept the consequences of his actions, but did she know them well enough to be the best judge of his final breath? Aradia didn't know. Quite frankly, she didn't want to be, but she wanted to make an example of Jak Mar. She didn't want anyone to repeatedly harm themselves and others without learning better after the hundredth time it had happened. Those kind of people weren't worth keeping around, when all they did and did was garner for pity and beg to be babied until they could forget the bad decisions made on their part. At least when she pitied herself, all she did was work for someone else's good fate, but in the end, she was crippling them, and that was the last straw.

Originally, the ram troll wanted to be surrounded by actual presence (an air that people were actually there listening when they were physically apparent) or completely gone (where she was isolated) instead of being halfway in some kind of hellish limbo. Aradia had enough of that. She had escaped that, and for the first time in forever, she had felt free. Free to be herself, free to pursue what really mattered to her instead of caring about a friend who probably didn't care about her because a) he didn't listen to her and b) he didn't trust her as proven by his unwillingness to take her advice. Not only that, it seemed he was beyond caring about himself since he had pulled wool over his eyes and charged headfirst regarding his emotions and thoughts and inner fears and doubts.

Such a dishonest man was not worth sticking around for, so she cut off her ties, and of course, people tried to guilt trip her and mess her up until she tried to get herself away all by herself. sealed off in some room by locked doors and metal seals in the form of an X. The Sanctuary wasn't the best place to do that though. However, the great outdoors couldn't offer complete solitude; the Hive was loud and noisy, the city boorish at times and incorrigibly filled up with people whose actual presence was worth plain air.

Aradia wasn't soulless, but she believed that leaving Jak, as well as Daxter, to fend for his own was the wisest course of action since she couldn't really interfere and trying would wind her up in consequences worth a greater amount of idiocy and a greater amount of sheer hopelessness. She couldn't afford to lose her freedom now, and now that she left those dead threads of gossamer alone, they had to find a way to strengthen themselves too.

The curly horned troll only needed a taste of liberation.

What would these two need?

Simple. Actually, it really wasn't that simple at all, apparently. Bonds were to be broken as delicate and interconnected as they could be, whether it was preferred or not. Inner strength needed to be found, and at long last would those unusually long ears finally be put to use. For shame if the pair of human ears be wasted for much longer.

But let us return to our slightly conceited but overall enthusiastic Alternian female looking up at the starry night sky.

Tonight Aradia Megido wasn't looking for solitude. She was looking for an unfamiliar yet safe atmosphere with strangers passing by the same way, but it couldn't help to stir up some chat. To protect her skirt from the soft wet sand, she sat on a cerulean blanket with an aquatic pattern intricately woven in with teal silky threads. There was enough room for two, but who would be that second person? Whomever was destined by Fate to do so could just ask. She wouldn't go out of her way to invite others to accompany her but the ram troll made up her mind to make a tired traveler or intrigued star gazer feel happy and welcome on the Apache coastline.

Last edited by Aradia Megido on Sat Jan 25, 2014 3:03 am; edited 1 time in total

One of the most fascinating things about winter was the shorter days, and thus the better chance to appreciate the stars for a longer period of time. That had proven to be just as true on the Breach as it was in Hyrule, and although she did still miss her homeworld, the disguised princess was very happy to be able to enjoy a very similar night sky view compared to what she had grown up with.

It was often reasonably visible in the city despite its great lights, at least from atop the Stock Pot Inn, but once she was able to get out to the wilderness, especially the Samba Heartlands or Boolean Mountains… it was especially breathtaking.

The nighttime view from most of the Apache Coastline was still amazing, and that coupled with the calming sound and atmosphere of the ocean only made it all the nicer to explore.

Sheik was very familiar with the coastline by now, as she and her friends all greatly enjoyed getting to visit it whether they were actually going swimming or not. Seeing that it was still the middle of winter though, she was not set to jump in the water unless if she absolutely had to, and that stood regardless of her fast-drying nature. No, aside from a nice walk this evening after work, the disguised princess was primarily out her to see if she could surprise Link and Tetra with some seashore finds, namely pink coral. Earlier that day, the Hero of Winds had detailed some of the treasures that he had taken to collecting in the World of the Ocean King, and pink coral had been but one of seven primary ones.

Since Tetra had been turned into a statue for most of their adventure there, the pirate captain had still been very curious about just some of the treasures he had since he had been brought here before she had… or at least those treasures that he had not still had on his person. As it turned out, Link's habit of collecting various spoils had proven helpful yet again and that he did have SOME pink coral, but not too much as he had previous sold most of it back on Mercay Island. So, to help boost the spoils for both of her friends, the disguised princess had set out to see if she could find any at the coastline, as she recalled that day she and Aicara had spent looking for seashells and the like.

Thus far, she had lucked out and found a very nice number of the treasures, so as the sun had set and she had them all tucked away in her Hyrulean storage space, Sheik was set to return to the Stock Pot Inn. Before she could move too much closer towards the main path back to the city though, her ears perked up slightly as she got the sense that something might be amiss.

Blinking as she scanned the beach with her red eyes, the disguised princess soon spotted a certain Alternian… that was… Aradia, wasn't it? She didn't know the ram troll directly, but she had seen her in passing a few of months ago when Link had helped her procure a meeting room at the inn. Although she had not really met her yet, with her keen insight, Sheik could tell that there was something on her mind, and that even though Aradia was sitting alone, she didn't necessarily want to be. Seeing her looking skyward… something told Sheik that it was best to check on her before she continued on her way.

So, stepping quietly towards her, Sheik waited until she was closer to the cerulean blanket before stating, "I hope I'm not bothering you, but… are you all right there?"

The stars in this entire galaxy took away all her worries and doubts and fears and thankfully, she lived in the Hive, a place secluded from the vast light pollution within the city. Aradia Megido was also thankful that she was eager to visit different terrains so she could star gaze as she did her archaeological work. While collecting artifacts and fossils weren't really of anyone's interests but her own (and sometimes Eridan's), she did enjoy crafting things like music boxes or letters as a token of gratitude or love to whom she cared about because those served as wholesome past times when she wasn't in the mood for archaeology. While archaeology was definitely her main passion, it wasn't her life, and she gradually picked up hobbies throughout her stay at the Breach. Some stuck and some didn't.

Some bad habits stuck too. Like how she was unable to realize certain things until she had thought them through or sorted out information she had so desperately needed. She seriously needed to reconsider her words and her actions too, and looking at the beautiful night sky certainly helped the ram troll clear her mind so she could reevaluate a whole plethora of troubles brought onto her by herself and by other factors with ease. Ah, the night sky was great, wherever she could be. So far, with her decisions, Aradia seemed to have gotten no where. But she did get somewhere. She found peace. Prixlezub reassured her that Hazama meant nothing but to stir up trouble and not to tease at moral insensitivity. She was, in fact, doing what was best for herself, but she was taking baby steps. Nothing could be fixed quickly. Jak's death wouldn't solve anything now, so while she might want him to pay for the damage he's done, Aradia couldn't kill him yet. At the very least, she wasn't in the mood to.

Hearing the sound of nothing but her internal monologues and debates, the Alternian girl finally took a break so she could adore the starry night, and she did admire every single twinkling blue, red, orange, or white star. However, she reached an epiphany and by all means, reached a conclusion that should have been obvious.

There was not a single sound to be heard.

The sound of a pin dropping would be downright comparable to the booming of a nuclear explosion.

Except for when Sheik arrived and kindly asked her if she was OK sitting there. His voice wasn't a bad sound, because as far as she knew, his voice sounded really nice actually, but it'd be weird to point out. Oh, what the hell, she's going to point it out eventually. Probably as some kind of icebreaker, but who cares about that when there's this super familiar guy being considerate to you even though you can't really put your thumb on who he is?

"eh!?"

The ram troll turned to face Sheik in complete surprise with her eyes wide open, the disguised princess's appearance wiping her mind's slate clean. All those petty thoughts in comparison to this surprise could pretty much be compared to what happens to tiny electric cars after they collide harshly into a huge truck. They get sent flying or at least in the movies in she had seen, but it was time to wake up and smell the roses. Welcome to reality, Megido. Now be polite.

She blushed in embarrassment and meekly apologized, "s0rry ab0ut that... i didnt see y0u there" Because she was busy staring at the stars, but that's like saying water is wet. "im alright thank y0u h0w are y0u... er im s0 s0rry i f0rg0t y0ur name" Smooth move, Megido. Smooth move indeed.

The Alternian's thoughts right now could only be: Oh my god, I look so stupid! What am I doing!? But instead of kneeling on the ground pathetically she could only try and reduce the blood rush and try not to annoy or weird out Sheik. "still its g00d t0 see y0u again! what have y0u been up t0?" she asked enthusiastically, surprising herself with how responsive she was to the boy's arrival. Aradia sure hoped she didn't come across as too rude, but it was good to let Sheik know that his presence was appreciated.

Sheik knew that she was very adept at moving quietly and many times even undetected, but she had not expected to catch Aradia so off guard with her greeting. It appeared that the ram troll had been even more lost in her thoughts than she had initially guessed, and as she whipped around to look up to her with wide eyes, the disguised princess blinked, raised her own eyebrows slightly. Aradia was surprised all right, but at least she seemed to be okay.

Smiling a bit at catching Aradia's subsequent blush, Sheik shook her head at her apology, stating, "That's all right, I just hope I didn't startle you too badly." She nodded at her next response, glad to confirm that she was fine, but before she could answer her question about her own well-being, the Alternian girl admitted that she had forgotten her name. It was not bad or even too surprising that she had blanked on her name, especially considering that the two had only really seen each other in passing, so the disguised princess didn't think too much of it. At least Aradia recognized her… that alone made her feel a little special. With as many people as one could run across on the Breach, to be remembered for more than sudden recognition was practically always a good feeling.

Granted, anonymity could come in handy if certain parties happened to forget you, but that was definitely not the case here.

Nodding at Aradia's response and note that she had forgotten her name, Sheik noted, "I'm good, thanks, and it's okay… it's been a while since we've seen each other after all. My name is Sheik."

The smile she wore broadened a touch as Aradia jumped to say that it was good to see her again, and at her question about what she had been up to, Sheik took a step closer to the blanket as she responded. "It's good to see you too! What I've been up to? Well, mostly just training, work at the inn, and showing one of my friends around the Breach. This is her first winter here, so we've been making sure that it's a good one for her. How about you?"

Aradia never saw the disguised princess coming; her guard was deep down low. She was yet to see a rhyme or reason to raise it up, but charmingly in an odd way, the presence of someone not unbearably intimate comforted the ram troll. There was no reason to doubt that he had nothing but kind intentions, and she relaxed slightly while keeping upright. Giving him a thorough look, her eyes twinkled cheerfully once they met his. As she returned his smile, she listened to the boy intently, and gave a nod in response to Sheik's good will. No, the ram troll wasn't too startled in the least. If anything, this chance encounter did nothing but give her a tingling sense of serendipity. All her senses were engaged as she mustered up a reply, hoping she didn't take too long to answer.

Keeping her strange bright yellow eyes with gray irises on Sheik's magical red ones, Aradia replied, "y0u didnt startle me t00 much at all i supp0se i was spacing 0ut" So much for spacing out! She couldn't even organize her thoughts properly! The curly horned troll had to dig in her memory for the boy's name and so far, she couldn't procure a single clue. However, this memory must have been washed away by time since Aradia found great difficulty trying to retrieve the memory of when the two last talked. Aradia's lack of presence at the inn seemed to be caused by the turmoil inside her, and she felt a bit guilty she put it past her to not visit her friends so much. It reduced so much more than the amount of interaction she had with the residents and the staff, it also detracted from a sense of security, having nothing but menacing-looking laser cannons that couldn't work on anyone that was more powerful than Laharl and Flonne. Those two were essentially the only two powerhouses available a distance away. Aradia Megido doubted Sheik would ever pass by the Trolls' Hive. While it was of an interesting design, none of that mattered because sometimes the kids inhabiting the place were too noisy or the air was too salty or the coastline overall was too hot or too cold.

As nostalgic as it made her, the Aries troll's attention would be, without exception, more focused on Sheik rather than all this background noise.

Even if she still had a train of thought that ran steadily and strong, the Alternian's feet were on the ground, her eyes continued to make contact with his, and her ears picked up on every word he said.

The Alternian child exhaled in relief when Sheik told her his name without batting an eye in dismay. She beamed at the boy her age. "im glad t0 see y0u again sheik it makes me happy t0 kn0w y0ure well after all this time"

There just was something special about seeing people again after a period of time with them not in sight at all. Maybe it's because long absences tended to remind her of how brief some sojourners stay at the Gamma. Working at Portal Breach, Sheik and his coworkers must know that all too well. Brushing that thought aside, Aradia formulated a response to the disguised princess's words. "s0 its the same 0ld same 0ld with y0u t00? its been s0 peaceful this winter im sure y0ur friend will appreciate y0ur help making the best 0f it as f0r me its my first winter t00 it c0uld be better but as l0ng as i get t0 enj0y it with pe0ple like y0u itll be fine plus its a l0ng st0ry and i d0nt want t0 b0ther y0u"

However, if Sheik was willing to listen, Aradia gestured to the towel for Sheik to sit on so he wouldn't get uncomfortable standing in one place for too long.

Sheik nodded at Aradia's assurance that she did not startle her much, inwardly feeling a little relieved for that. She knew that it was not uncommon for her to surprise others with her stealth skills even if she was not necessarily using them intentionally, but it did help to confirm that the ram troll had primarily been spacing out. That much had been apparent with the way she was watching the night sky, but regardless, she did hope that she was all right regardless of her admission to being lost in her thoughts.

The Stock Pot Inn might not have had laser cannons, but it did have a very detailed and effective set of defensive wards that kept it safe. Those with malicious intent inside of the inn would trigger one of the wards to alert Impa and herself, and those just outside the premises with the same intent to harm might very well be barred entry. Whilst most of it was unable to be detected, the measures were still in place, and that coupled with the vigilance of the staff ensured that the inn was as safe as possible for everyone. It might not have been the Hive itself, but whenever Aradia took the chance to visit anyone at the inn, hopefully that would assuage some of her worries… even if they couldn't exactly take care of the inner turmoil she was currently experiencing.

Nodding at Aradia's note that she was glad to see her, Sheik stated, "I'm glad to see you too. I know we haven't seen each other much, but it's good to see you doing well." Or well enough as the case might be… there still seemed to be something on her mind, but whilst the disguised princess had taken the time to check on her, she had no intentions of prying.

Being able to see someone familiar after a while was always a pleasant surprise, and that much held true regardless as to how close one might be with them. Sheik nodded again to confirm Aradia's question about how things had been for her, right before raising her eyebrows slightly as she learned that this was also her first winter on the Breach. That was right… if her memory was correct, the Alternian girl had only arrived this past summer. Chuckling softly, the disguised princess noted, "It has been, yeah… and she seems to be so far. She's not been around too much snow before, and she seems to be enjoying that as well. I hope your season only gets better from here."

Once Aradia admitted that things could be better for her, Sheik's expression shifted to a sympathetic one. She appreciated the kind words of course and knew that so long as the ram troll got to spend this time with people she liked she would be all right… but she was a bit concerned to confirm that her first instinct had been correct. They might have still been getting to know each other, but given the sense she was getting from the Alternian… Sheik definitely wanted to try to help if she could.

"Long story or not, you seem to be troubled… we might have only met a couple of times, but if you would like to talk about any of it, I'd be happy to listen," stated Sheik, right before moving to take a seat on the cerulean blanket a moment after Aradia's gesture. Once she was situated and comfortable, she looked back to the girl, adding, "I promise it wouldn't be a bother."

Sometimes the troll got carried away with her thoughts too much. It disabled her from seeing the rest of the world properly because with only her mind in view, there was only a shallow and diluted pool of information to be found, but when it counted, she liked to be objective. Right now, it did count because she was going through a time where emotions were wild and strong and tumbling inside her like some kind of cyclone of confusion, anger, regret, sadness, and overall just negative feelings towards herself and some others, as unpleasant as they were. Hopefully, they could be resolved soon. She had a feeling she would need to share them soon.

Aradia once remembered that Hazama was spying on the Stock Pot Inn in his old Novus Orbis Librarium base that was so cold and empty and eerie when she first came across it. Later on in November, it still looked the same way except with a more lethal and distant feel, surrounded by no one but a bunch of strangers whose hands you either put your life in or stain with your own blood because they have no choice to. Nu-13 and Hazama were quite different though, regarding their cases. However, she did know that Nu was finished for good and Hazama, while rather triggering, played it safe, and with the ISO's and the magical defense wards and the Inn staff overall, the serpentine fiend had not a chance getting away with any sort of crime. It did worry Aradia though that she did not have a clue what the green haired man wanted to do with the information he did gather on in when there was no chance for him to pull anything endangering off on the Inn's residents. This gave her a rather uneasy feeling.

However, she couldn't be bothered with that at the moment. She was having a nice friendly talk with a younger boy named Sheik who, quite frankly, seemed more mature than her at the time. "y0u are always s0 c0nsiderate i miss g0ing t0 the inn m0re 0ften" What was delaying this ram troll? Now, she couldn't really make up any good excuses but she supposed that she spent too much of her time in her room wasting it with worrying about her inability to calm herself down and actually make proper decisions that not only influence herself but others.

Snow. Just recently powdery snow fell all over the city, and light flurries managed to reach the Hive. Aradia had seen it before in the beginning of fall when she began her archaeological expeditions, some of which that lead her to the Unicode Tundra albeit with no success. It was mainly cold hard ice there and the snow was good for snowball fights and whatnot, but it gradually accumulated to the extent that she had to leave her digging site out of fear that the white hulking mass would eventually become too much and collapse on her due to the sheer weight. Of course in that situation, she could take care of herself but wasn't the best strategy to just avoid those situations in general? Sheesh, Aradia, you need to be more careful.

Disregarding her memories, she found interest in the whereabouts of Sheik's friend, which she believed she had seen a couple of times but not very much. Just passing by. In fewer words, this friend was just an acquaintance like the disguised princess. "im glad she likes it d0es she kn0w h0w fun it is t0 engage in a sn0wball fight every n0w in then?" In her eyes was a sparkle of mischief, and judging from her playful tone, it was obvious that the ram troll enjoyed such forms of play.

The expression on Aradia's face became more somber and crestfallen as she tried to figure out how to start. She needed some kind of hook or something; boring the boy would serve to do nothing but make things more cumbersome. "0f c0urse id like t0 talk ab0ut it im glad its n0t t00 tr0ubles0me" It was a rather common kind of etiquette to not burden mere passerbys though. "its hard t0 find a place t0 start talking ab0ut this but i guess i can say at the very least that ive l0st my patience with a friend and i d0nt really kn0w what t0 d0 ab0ut it" Or feel about it, but those words were easy to find by just looking at the ambivalent girl's furrowed brows.

Sheik smiled at Aradia's statement regarding herself. She might have only seen the older girl around a few times, but it made her feel good to know that she already thought such of her. The disguised princess always did try her best to be considerate, and she'd like to think that it was reflected in her actions, but she appreciated the sentiment nonetheless.

"Thanks… and you know you're always welcome there," stated Sheik, nodding to Aradia at her words regarding visiting the inn. She might not have lived there herself, but to visit her friends that did, she was always welcome to stop by. And in the event that she ever needed a safe haven but was too far away from the hive, as with any other citizen, there was always a safe, secure place to be found in the Stock Pot Inn. That had proven true during the Phazon Crisis, and if the Hyruleans could help it, they were set to make sure it held steadfast no matter what the future held.

Grinning a bit at Aradia's question regarding snowball fights, Sheik noted, "Yes… that she does. She has really good aim, too. Tetra, Link, Link, and I have already had a few snowball fights, and I can imaging those are only going to be there first of many." The disguised princess had plenty of snowball fights and other seasonal fun with her best friends, not to mention plenty of winter wonderland training sessions led by Impa. Those had always been especially fun, and with the addition of Tetra to their ranks, that enjoyment had only increased.

Sheik raised her eyebrows slightly as Aradia's expression shifted to more of a despondent one. It seemed that she was trying to sort through her thoughts and determine where would be the best point to start from, but no matter how easily that came to her, at least she managed to respond to her words as she took a seat next to her. The disguised princess nodded as she admitted that it was hard to figure out where to begin, but after a moment, she soon admitted what had to be one of the main troubles at the forefront of her mind. Sheik blinked at her open admission, making sure to think over her words carefully before responding.

"I see…" started Sheik, inwardly wondering just what had transpired to cause such a loss of patience in the normally amiable girl. Whilst she wasn't sure which friend Aradia meant of course, between her own observations at the inn and what she had heard from Kev and some others, she was actually keenly aware of the one the ram troll was referring to. Even if she did not know of all of Aradia's own part in the recent happenings, it was still best to start simple. Leaning forward a bit, Sheik asked, "Have you tried talking with them about it?"

Aradia Megido never knew the Inn staff very well, but they always were courteous, considerate and welcoming no matter who they were. They were the kind of people one would definitely be lucky to have as friends and often at times, they seemed very proud of their job and their ability to do it with good cause to. She never talked to them so much before, only doing so much as to greet them or bid them farewell or to make requests that weren't too mich, like asking for directions to a certain room.

"thats a relief i always enj0y g0ing there if i didnt have the hive t0 stay at id be at the inn" Of course she would. She had no choice otherwise if the Hive wasn't available. Before, when she had arrived in the late summer, it was desolate and lonely and looked almost abandoned--if it weren't for a certain Aquarius troll. Soon after Laharl and Flonne moved in and she was more than certain that the place was almost as lively as it was before, even if it didn't include any of the trolls that once lived there except for one. Regardless, life was the way she wanted it at home. Never would she ever take that for granted.

Her smile widened as she saw the disguised princess grin during her response. "i like t0 think im pretty g00d at t0ssing a sn0w ball 0r t00 the real struggle is in f0rming the right 0ne y0uve g0tta make sure that when it hits it hits g00d! thats the key!" The curly horned troll winked with a mischievous smile briefly. Snow was one of the best things she had to expect during this month. She had fought monsters in the snow sometimes during her digs but she hadn't done a lot of it or enjoyed it so much because of her thoughts that brewed like a nasty poison. Some of those thoughts made her want to cry or boil up in rage or drown in guilt. Above all, they made her want to crumple up in defeat because of her inability to understand certain things, but she wouldn't do any of that.

Enough joking around, she decided before taking a deep breath and continuing. "i have talked t0 my friend i w0nder if im t00 harsh 0r if he just d0esnt listen t0 any0ne 0r maybe he d0esnt even trust me..." Trying her best to keep it subtle, the Alternian fidgeted nervously. "he keeps 0n telling me that he wants t0 fight f0r a cause 0r s0mething maybe he wants t0 be a her0 but he d0esnt achieve that he ann0ys my friends and acquaintances at times because these things 0ften at times endanger him t0 n0 end and 0nce it even g0t him killed! he even stirred up tr0uble at y0ur very inn im quite s0rry ab0ut that even th0ugh i wasnt even his friend then"

Aradia looked down slowly as she realized that a whole bunch of worries and frustration spilled out. It was embarrassing and rather rude but all she could do was apologize silently with a decent pause, but not enough to be too awkward. Soon she realized that she forgot quite a few important details. Hurriedly, the ram troll rushed at the speed of light to add them in. "i think y0u kn0w wh0 this friend in well actually... hes an ex-friend s0 t0 speak i just br0ke 0ff 0ur friendship because ive been thinking a l0t and s0me 0f my th0ughts arent exactly healthy and ive realized that all ive d0ne is cripple him fr0m learning h0w t0 take care 0f himself" Hopefully, Sheik wouldn't get angry at the mention of this ex-friend's name. "fr0m what ive kn0wn jak mar isnt a sadist 0r a villain in all h0nesty i just think hes extremely thick headed with n0t a clue 0f h0w t0 take resp0nsibility f0r his acti0ns" Knowing how harsh her words were, guilt seeped within her tone of voice.

The Alternians on the Breach were very fortunate to have their hive, but whilst she was glad that they all had that piece of home, the disguised princess was still happy to hear that Aradia always enjoyed visiting the inn. At Aradia's statement regarding her own snowball fight prowess and proper snowball making technique, Sheik chuckled right before nodding in agreement and winking back to her. Even with as fun as exploring and training in snow-covered areas could be, a simple snowball fight was almost always a good time.

As the playful conversation turned to a more serious subject, Sheik nodded once more as Aradia noted that she had talked to her friend. She'd had a strong feeling that she had, but it was always good to check… and now it seemed that the way he was acting was possibly even due to his inability to listen to others, even those that were or had been closer to him. The disguised princess was able to tell that the ram troll was trying to keep things vague just in case, but she was willing and ready to listen to whatever the other girl felt comfortable sharing with her.

With some slight fidgeting around trying to think of just how to relate this, Aradia continued, detailing how the person in question would say things without knowing exactly what he wanted to do, annoy her and her friends, endanger himself without thinking, and with absolutely no sign of his destructive behavior, he had even got himself killed. That alone made her red eyes widen slightly, but the older girl's next words caused her to raise her eyebrows further as a crystal switch was hit.

The instant that Aradia mentioned that this friend had caused trouble at the inn, Sheik knew exactly who she'd been referring to… after all, there was only one person that she could mean. He had only been on the Breach for a couple of months, but they had only had once issue at the Stock Pot Inn recently… and that instance had quickly escalated from a security issue to a direct ISO involvement. The friend who was giving the ram troll trouble was none other than Jak Mar.

As Aradia looked down, Sheik's expression shifted to a sympathetic one as she caught some of her silent apology, but she did not say anything just yet. After a brief pause though, the ram troll continued, soon clarifying that Jak was actually an ex-friend… considering what all he had done and the mental turmoil he was putting Aradia though, it made perfect sense that she had not only made that distinction, but that she had also taken the difficult yet healthy choice in breaking off the friendship. Sheik didn't mind the mention of Jak's name at all, although she was still on guard with it considering the trouble he had caused at the inn. Regardless, she listened carefully to Aradia's final assessment of him, soon finding herself in strong agreement with her given her own observations of him and reports from Kev.

Taking in a deep breath as she tried to sort out what best to say, Sheik looked to Aradia with as comforting a look as she could manage before stating, "From what I've heard, no, he's not really a villain… but thick-headed, irresponsible, and clueless do describe him pretty well. I've not met him directly, but I have seen him around the inn… and I caught the briefest hints of those traits even before he tried to attack Kev and Squall. They seem to have only intensified over time… and I'm very sorry that his actions have troubled you so."

Gesturing a bit as she continued, Sheik added, "Contending with such is never easy, but… I think you did the right thing here. It would have been poisonous to you to cling to that friendship, and as much as it can hurt to lose a friend, when they've already fallen that far… sometimes, they're not the same person you initially met. Thinking about it within resin is healthy, and I'm sure that you yourself did not cripple him. He should already know how to take care of himself by now, so in latching on the way he did… he's the one who crippled himself."

The disguised princess paused for a couple of moments as that thought settled, just before she noted, "It's one thing to help someone… but you have to look after yourself so you can look after others. Furthermore, when they don't try to help themselves at all… that can land them beyond help. It is a shame… but it is no fault of yours. This is strictly his own doing." Hopefully, that would help assuage at least some of her guilt here. It was not an easy situation at all, but at least Aradia was trying to sort through it in a constructive manner.

All the technicolor fun and games were drained away carefully with nothing but monochrome talk of a dead, rotting infected friendship within its not yet dusty crypt, and Aradia felt bad for pushing it deep inside the earth; she was supposed to be unearthing the skeletons and ghosts of yore, excavate not desecrate or surpress! Oh how disappointed she was in herself for being so weak and fly-by-night enough to not be able to solve this mess! Perhaps, it was just the tides of passion churning in her, but the desire was not exactly welcomed or even merely condoned. She wanted to make amends for her inability to stop caring about Jak or her inability to stop him from harming himself. Although, it seemed much more likely that the ram troll preferred to have something else. tonight was a discovery what that may entail; whether it was good or bad was no one's concern.

Once she had seen a glimpse of, albeit briskly, the ex-evil emperor Zurg's difficulty regarding caring for others. If any one of them was to be harmed, even Kev would be punished severely. Caring for people was a very rewarding thing to do as it was burdening though, and Aradia was proud of the very fact that she was able to care for so many wonderful people--with them returning the same kind of affection, but she wondered if she got too dangerously close to Jak. She had wondered why and how she cared about them. Sometimes she found it very hard not to care about certain others, no matter what they did. It was most definitely illogical.

And it scared her. She didn't care that much about the ottsel and long eared boy at the moment, but there was a smidgen of kindness left in her that remained. There was no way Aradia could possibly understand why it remained or why it was there in the first place. From the moment she had met him, he was always so impetuous. He had reminded her of what she was like when trying to seek venegeance against Sekret, but at least, she learned, right? But he didn't. How come? Why didn't she just toss him out like trash?

At that very moment she realized that she couldn't bear it. The ram troll had pleaded for him not to be in her life anymore because he would be all sad and guilt-tripping and Aradia, unfortunately, was always a sucker for the guilt trips. She also was a half-assed bad judge of character. No one would ever hire her for being a judge panelist on some kind of weird villain talent show that would probably never ever happen, and very much for the better. It was better without that. Still, back to the topic. Aradia Megido didn't want pity for caring about Jak. It was stupid and all it seemed is that he wanted pity and he wanted to be painted the tragic hero. She would have none of that, but deep down she felt extremely, excruciatingly guilty for no other reason than because she killed yet another two budding relationships. Not only that she had let Jak be killed the night she had broken off their ties. Then, the next night, while trying to keep strong, Hazama and Daemeon came in and gave a lovely display of being his nanny before taking him away to some random place in the forest to be beat up. Oh, yeah, she ought to talk about that. And Hazama. Especially Hazama.

Hazama had no chance of harming anyone in the Inn lest they venture out into the open, dangerous world with no one to help, no one to know, no one to find. Then he could probably snatch them up in his serpentine jaws. To be honest, Aradia knew her threats and this was the biggest one yet. Jak Mar was nothing but a lapse of judgment that became a relapse, possibly because of extreme guilt. She didn't want to have to see his saddened face nor did she wish to see him plan out really absurd and tactless plans just because he was far too impetuous for his own good. He was pococurante and to be honest, who could think good about someone whose irrational actions were perfunctory just because he had desired to be a hero. Who would ever want to be a hero like that? No, he was no hero, but not a villain either. He was a fool, and so was she for caring about him.

Carefully, she sucked in her breath, deeply inhaling and exhaling in and out, the wintry air on the coastline never ceases to chill her teeth and the salt to tease her tongue, albeit a bit forced. "i h0pe that there wasnt t00 much 0f a mess t0 be cleaned up 0verall" she wished with good will, "that is if the damage extended further bey0nd his 0wn r00m if it did that w0uld be unacceptable" When Squall was mentioned, Aradia's mind blanked. That human was close to her. Of course she knew about Kev and was pretty close to him, but she already knew that he handled the situation well. However, she didn't know that the Leonhart, of all people, would be involved. An inquiry of what he exactly did popped up in the Aries troll mind but she decided to ignore it, knowing she could just ask the human some other time.

Aradia's irises, while gray, had been developing over the time she spent her on Portal Breach into a deep crimson. Currently, there was only a hint and it darkened as she heard the disguised princess. "im still clinging t0 it i guess its n0t like i c0nd0ne anything hes d0ne but i d0nt kn0w h0w t0 deal with the guilt 0f leaving him t0 be killed 0ff by alexander t0 free him fr0m daeme0n i als0 d0nt kn0w h0w t0 f0rgive myself f0r letting daxter get beaten up by daeme0n in the sanctuary bef0re he and the green haired jerk decided t0 kill him 0ff s0mewhere in the f0rest i didnt mean t0 be cruel like they said i was... i th0ught that they c0uld take care 0f themselves then because they seemed t0 be better 0ff when i first met them after i br0ke 0ff 0ur friendship but i was h0rribly wr0ng still what c0uld i d0 even th0ugh im m0re p0werful than them i d0ubt i w0uld be able t0 d0 much and its t00 late n0w" Tentatively at first but steadily otherwise, Aradia couldn't help but cover her face with her hands. No she wasn't crying but she had sunken low enough to care what Yuuki Terumi thought. He had called her disgusting for this and deep down, she agreed almost as much as she agreed to disagree and to ignore it. However, even if she wasn't the pair's friend anymore, to leave them to die and one other to suffer the same fate as she did just was too much. She didn't know what to do but stay out of it so that's what she did, but some kind of self-torture ate at her because she left an "innocent" while numb-skulled duo of misadventurers off to die. Regardless, it was important to let loose this honest confession. It was important.

Despite all the metaphorical poison still churning inside her, the Alternian girl did her best to listen carefully to Sheik and found that his points were much more valid and important than losing herself to her guilt and whatever icky feelings she had to dump. It was like some sort of Stockholm syndrome that she needed to overcome or something. "yeah y0ure right i supp0se i th0ught that i was resp0nsible f0r tim in a way i mean i had friends wh0 were his friends we were interested in treasure hunting and racing and what n0t but were t00 different it clashes and right n0w i just want him t0 g0 away but i have a feeling if he stirs up en0ugh tr0uble t0 harm m0re inn0cents he will need t0 g0"

Slowly and hesitantly, as if she was performing a signal honor, she made a V sign with her middle finger and index finger before swiftly swiping it across her neck to punctuate her point. She looked uneasy and afraid of messing up, if her ideas were wrong and corrupt. However, she had a duty that she knew that her ancestors would support. She had to stop letting him get to her. She had to take care of herself, and if she had to take care of him; well, she definitely would. Forever, as harsh as it was.

The rust blood did her best to maintain eye contact through out but steadily it became so much more difficult. Some words still remained unspoken, locked up in her throat like some kind of Venus fly trap plant was out to hide away the goddamn truth. Nothing was more painful or unwanted than that. Surely, there was something though?

No. That was wrong. Miscommunication was the enemy. Nothing was worse than keeping secrets or lying because then nothing would be solved. There would be a stalemate on the road for disaster and when it's half-way undergone, everyone knew that it had reached its peak of agony.

The Alternian child didn't feel good at all about what she thought, but since the thoughts moved so smoothly yet slowly in her mind, she couldn't help but question whether she was making a too big deal out of this.

Either way, the ram troll couldn't shake off that unmistakable desire to throw up.

At Aradia's kind words regarding the status of the Stock Pot Inn itself after Jak's outburst, Sheik shook her head slightly before stating. "No, there wasn't too much to be cleaned up… but considering the safety issue he imposed and his blatant lack of respect for the law, he is on rather thin ice at the moment." Sheik was not able to discuss specific security matters of course, but after the severity of Jak's last offense, Impa had effectively viewed that as a single strike. If there was another one… suffice to say, it would be more than unacceptable.

The disguised princess listened carefully as the ram troll explained how she was still holding on to some of those feelings, guilt or otherwise, but that she did not by any means condone what he had done. That guilt she was experiencing only seemed to be deeper, as not only was she contending with the feelings of having had to break off a friendship, but it appeared that both Jak Mar and his partner Daxter had got themselves into even further messes. As far as the former went, Sheik had heard secondhand what had happened… the odd human had been killed by Kev so that he could be freed from the control Alexander's strangely evil cousin had gained over him. For the latter, he had let himself be led off too… and there was only one person that Sheik knew of who might be the "green haired jerk." She had not met Hazama, but she had learned enough about that event late last year from Kev and the news as to just what sort of guy he could be.

Why were those two so drawn to such troublesome figures? It was beyond foolish to engage with them in such capacities, and they had undoubtedly been warned… yet they continued to throw away the advice given to them and cause trouble and pain for themselves and everyone else. Perplexing was putting it mildly, and Aradia's own turbulent thoughts were a true testament to that.

As Aradia moved to slowly cover her face with her hands, Sheik hesitated for a few moments before very carefully placing a steady hand on her shoulder. She made sure that the contact was supportive yet gentle, and certainly something meant to comfort and help tether the ram troll as she dealt with more and more oaf this torrent of emotions. A second later, she stated, "I'm sorry you're still feeling that guilt Aradia, but none of what happened was your fault. I was not there for any of it… but from the sound of the situations, you did what you could and then some. It's admirable to want to help others, but if they are not willing to help themselves… then there is only so much that can be done."

Taking a moment to let that fact settle in, Sheik paused before adding, "Sometimes, you do everything you can to help, but if people are so stubborn as to forego the numerous warnings they had received, then you have reached the end of the point where you can act. Helplessness is a terrible feeling, but even when you feel it… you have to know when you can still do something no matter how bleak things seem, and you have to know when things have slipped completely beyond your control. As difficult as those situations are… the blame is theirs alone. You can feel the guilt, but you are not at fault."

Even though her previous words where helping Aradia sort through her guilt and other feelings, Sheik knew that the ram troll still had more to wade through. She was just as prepared to listen, soon nodding in understanding as the older girl admitted that she had felt responsible for Jak. The realization of the toxicity of that friendship had not been easy, but at least it had happened. However, what came next caused the disguised princess to widen her eyes almost imperceptibly.

Aradia wanted Jak to go away, which was a very valid sentiment… and she seemed to share the same feeling that she knew someone else very dear to her had. If someone caused enough chaos, pain, or suffering for themselves or others, whether it was a minor case or something as grave as what Ganondorf had inflicted upon Hyrule… as undesirable as serious options might be, sometimes… they were the best options. Decisions relevant to this were never easy… and it appeared that the ram troll had got caught up in one herself given her previous involvement.

Sheik watched as she deliberately accented the point she meant to make, understanding completely. As one who had been destined to rule her kingdom someday, the disguised princess did not like to think of the ultimate option as the first option. However…. in some cases, it was the only true option. And when the lives and well-being of so many others were at stake, this was an instance where it could be considered.

Even though Sheik did not necessarily wish for it to come to that, given two previous encounters, she knew that it might very well happen again… the key thing here though was to make sure that anyone who might be considering that decision was doing so with a clear head. For whatever future was set to pass… the disguised princess now saw the role she had fallen into here. Aradia needed help clearing her thoughts no matter what course of action she sought… and Sheik was determined to do her best to continue to help her.

"I see. … … … It's unfortunate that it has come to that, but it seems to have already happened at least once. At this point… he has sealed his own fate, regardless as to who helps see him to it. Call it a mercy, call it inevitable, call it what you will, but the same as his previous actions, you cannot help the path he has chosen." None of this was easy, but even as much as she disliked the idea that things had come to this, Sheik had the wisdom to know when idealism differed from realism. "The main thing to keep in mind here is that if he does continue to act in such a way, the the consequences are fully weighed before any deed is done."

There was no way for the ram troll to predict what happened to the ottsel and long-eared Precursorian. Right now she was just upset that she had made a promise she could not keep, and she would need to learn the hard way of how to not make them, and because she was far from perfect, eventually she would have to also learn that it would take many failures to achieve her goal. Even then, she would need the tenaciousness and energy required to nurture good qualities within her. Holding onto the past like this was bad for her. She would need to put in the effort herself. One other thing that Aradia needed to do was to make sure that Hazama didn't get to her. Already she had made sure that the petty Daemeon did not, but Hazama was more clever, more deft at getting under people's skin -- he had more than enough experience when it came to toying with other people's despair. It was almost as if it was a second nature to him, and that was what the Aries troll needed to be worried about, but not too much. Sometimes he could be fun when he wasn't so damn psychopathic.

Of course, not everything could be alleviated under a single talk. That simply wasn't possible, but under Sheik's guidance she was able to realize something very important. The Alternian gave a small smile to Sheik's kind gesture; she had needed to be rooted down. If she got her head all up in the clouds, not the peaceful ones but rather the more nasty ones, then she wouldn't be able to see the facts and the cold hard truth, and that was more comforting than blindingly hot rage, if she had anything to say. "y0ure right but n0w that weve talked ab0ut it it feels m0re like a guilt f0r making pr0mises i c0uldnt keep its als0 a result 0f me n0t having en0ugh f0resight f0r me t0 understand that this w0uld all happen but the imp0rtant thing is that i have t0 listen t0 y0u and m0ve 0n fr0m caring ab0ut what happens t0 them as well as what they think 0f me im n0t all that imp0rtant t0 them either s0 why sh0uld i be s0 self c0nsci0us they arent my friends but they are my 0ther friends friends"

Now she took some time to think more carefully over what Sheik had said. "thanks f0r helping me find 0ut whether the situati0n is helpless 0r n0t i have a feeling that im n0t helpless and that the situati0n is far fr0m helpless but i d0 understand that jak and daxter are in their 0wn way helpless t0 understand what p0siti0n they are in with0ut a d0ubt theyll think they are maturing every time they face s0mething difficult but the 0nly 0nes wh0 will truly kn0w that are the 0nes that see it theres n0thing i can d0 ab0ut my friends being friends with them but y0ur help has g0ne a l0ng way i d0nt think im t0 blame anym0re after all"

Of course, Aradia still felt guilty regardless of whether she blamed herself, but thanks to Sheik, it was a healthier, more manageable amount, and it was also thanks to the disguised princess that the rust blood had the conviction to fix up her act. She had to learn how to let it go, and she was taking a good step on the path to doing that. The more she spoke with Sheik, the more clear things became and all the muddiness had gone, and now it was easier to see where she should place her feet.

Honest to X, everyone was sick of Jak and Daxter's devil-may-care disposition. They only understood the bare surface of the problems that they had gotten into, and who could blame someone if they wanted to avoid the two's head-thrashing into a brick wall that was actually a pillow to everyone else? It was harsh, but they were bumbling idiots and Aradia had acted idiotic for caring for them. They dropped basically everyone off their radar if they failed to agree or be somewhat neutral to whatever whims and opinions and points of view the duo had taken on. And then they get into something crazy.

Why, Aradia had faced imminent grave danger before on Alternia, and she did not hesitate to strike to kill. The one time she did not cost her a life, and that was when she was up against someone very dear to her, who happened to be controlled by a menacing ex-friend who wanted to get her revenge even though no real damage was done. No real damage was ever done to Vriska -- except if it was self-inflicted.

That was irrelevant, however.

"the s0luti0ns ive c0me up with have been rather dramatic but as y0u have said i must weigh all the c0nsequences fully n0t everything is laid 0ut s0 clearly because the year is s0 y0ung h0wever i shall n0t speed his way n0r try t0 end it that is n0t my right but if jak mar fails t0 keep himself and whatever tr0uble hell bring t0 0ne specific area there will be c0nsequences n0t by me necessarily but in general" She would be surprised that the boy would be successful in that, but only marginally. "i think that i must c0me up with a way t0 is0late him fr0m the imp0rtant things i have t0 f0cus 0n i tend t0 visit the sanctuary a l0t s0 ill need t0 tread carefully if n0t sl0wly but y0u have a g00d head 0n y0ur sh0ulders s0 what d0 y0u think"

Much like Sheik herself, Aradia was still growing, and as such was still sorting through some of who she was. She had plenty of good qualities within her, but she was lacking some of the experiences that would help truly bring them to the fore. The disguised princess had a maturity well beyond her years regardless of her natural affinity for wisdom, and it appeared that the ram troll was starting to gain some more of her own growing experiences. This dire situation right here was a prime example, and hopefully one that would help her be able to hold onto her true self and not give in to blind emotions.

Sheik returned Aradia's slight smile with a soft one of her own, glad that her simple action here had in fact helped ground her where she needed. Her words and gesture might not solve everything in an instant, but at the very least, they could help the ram troll sort through her own muddled thoughts. As Aradia spoke, noting where she felt her guilt and did not know where things would lead, Sheik found herself nodding as she stated that she needed to listen and move forward. "You're exactly right. It is rarely easy to move on from caring about someone you used to call a friend, but when their actions reveal their true nature, it is best to do what you must to take care of yourself."

Losing friends was tough, but self preservation was far more important than holding onto irreparable bonds. Nodding once more at Aradia's thanks, Sheik listened carefully to her own line of reasoning before noting, "Of course. I'm glad I was able to help you out. The fact that you are trying to figure out the right thing proves that you're not helpless. They themselves might be, but as you said, they landed in that position entirely on their own. That blame rests squarely on them… you tried to help them, but they cast it aside. You are not at fault."

It was understandable if Aradia had some lingering guilty feelings, but so long as she was able to start moving forward and realize that she was not at blame, that was an excellent step. There was still the chance to sort through everything, and now that her mind was cleared, she would be able to do so far more easily. That alone made Sheik feel rather pleased, and the ram troll's admission that she would not rush into things added to that.

Whilst a course of action could still be set, it was very good that Aradia was taking a step back to see where she sat in all of this. Some decisions were not for some people to make, even if they wanted to help, and Sheik was relieved that the ram troll had been able to realize this. With a nod over the idea of separating Jak from important things, the disguised princess smiled further at her companion's kind compliment. Chuckling ever so slightly, she noted, "That sounds like a great idea. You're making sure to consider absolutely everything, you're assessing where you best stand in all of this, and you're not taking on any more than you have to. You might visit the Sanctuary a lot, but that does not always mean that you have to interact with him if he's in there. Just be careful in there, and be sure to avoid any confrontation you'd rather not contend with."

In response to the disguised princess's nod and kind words, the ram troll smiled gently and said, "then its a very g00d thing that i have s0me0ne like y0u as my friend t0 remind me 0f that" And those words rung true, but Sheik, although not close, Aradia knew she could trust. The boy, who was really a girl, was so supportive and understanding, like the other Hyruleans. But she knew that it was her own responsibility to take care of herself and move on. In all honesty, she couldn't depend on anyone for too long or they'd resent her deeply, and she would rather avoid that situation when with someone as kind and wise as the boy right next to her.

"y0ure s0 kn0wledgeable ab0ut this that i cant help but w0nder what had needed t0 happen f0r y0u t0 learn the things y0u kn0w and can d0" she admitted. But was it too personal, she couldn't help but ponder. Still, now that the inquiry was posed, it couldn't be taken back. Deep down, she felt relieved because she knew how selfish it was to simply receive help without truly engaging the other participant in the conversation. She didn't want to make Sheik feel underappreciated but she wasn't sure how. Of course, Aradia could learn.

"abs0lutely there are a l0t m0re tr0ubles0me pe0ple that i will have t0 deal with regardless 0f whether i ch00se t0 talk t0 them 0r n0t its the same f0r every0ne really but yeah ill be really careful fr0m here 0n n0w" Good job, Zelda/Sheik. The Hyrulean really did brighten up the curly horned troll's mood, and was able to get her out of the rut she was in. Now all Aradia had to do on her part, was to keep true to her words and to the advice the princess gave her and not regress back into the state she had found herself in before.

To be honest, she didn't know how good a multi-tasker she could be, but that was irrelevant, but the best way to move on was to try and focus on better things. It might be rude to ask for some time to sort things out because really, on Gamma X, one had all the time in the world to do that. There was no fairness if the ram troll didn't try to bring more engaging and interesting topics to the table because she desired to make this conversation rewarding to Sheik as it was to the rust blood herself, but she needed to have a better judgement of the situation and people around her. The disguised princess was kind and generous; she was one of the people who enjoyed helping others which made Aradia appreciate her all the more.